Agenda-setting in international organizations

Abstract

International organizations have played a large role in global society including its most critical role, agenda-setting. The agenda set by international organizations is highly influential to member countries. Itis known that international organizations make decisions in very reasonable ways. This study examined the process of decision-making and agenda-setting in international organizations, particularly the UN and the OECD, through a case study of compact city policies. The concept of the compact city is a controversial issue, both in academic and practical fields, regarding urban planning policies. The OECD and the UN, however, have provided the form of the compact city as a recommendation for members. Based on content analysis of literature, including empirical studies, this study concludes that compact city policies are a typical example of the failure of agenda management in international organizations, and provides the implication that internationalorganizationsshould settheiragendas more carefully.